“Ghost Boy” woke up from coma after being trapped for 12 years
Martin Pistorius: The Man Who Woke Up After 12 Years Locked in His Own Body. Martin Pistorius was just 12 years old in 1988 when he fell ill in South Africa with a sore throat. His condition rapidly worsened, and he eventually slipped into a coma. Doctors diagnosed him with cryptococcal meningitis and tuberculosis of the brain, but couldn’t fully explain his condition.
They told his parents he had the brain function of a 3-month-old baby and to take him home to die. For over a decade, Martin appeared to be in a vegetative state, but after a few years, he began to regain consciousness — trapped in his own body, fully aware but unable to move or speak. He described it as feeling like being “encased in concrete.”
His caregivers didn’t notice he was awake, and he experienced deep loneliness and fear. His breakthrough came when an aromatherapist noticed subtle signs of awareness, like slight smiles and eye movements. Tests later confirmed he was conscious. With therapy and a computer that allowed him to communicate, Martin slowly regained the ability to interact with the world.
He went on to study, work as a web designer, and in 2008, met Joanna, who became his wife. “I’m not his carer,” she said. “I’m his wife.” Martin proposed in a hot-air balloon, and they married in 2009. Today, they live in England.
Martin’s inspiring story is told in his 2011 memoir, Ghost Boy: My Escape From a Life Locked Inside My Own Body. He says his life has been shaped by faith, hope, and most importantly—love.
